THERE'S an opportunity to get hands-on experience of Dartmoor's archaeology at Bellever Day, Dartmoor National Park Authority's celebration of the Festival of British Archaeology this Saturday.

Visit the National Park Visitor Centre, Postbridge between 11am to 4pm and get involved in a variety of activities with plenty of hands-on opportunities, especially for children.

These include a basketry workshop, using natural materials collected from Dartmoor, demonstrations of jewellery making, including prehistoric bead bracelets, learning how to grind corn in a prehistoric fashion, making clay pots, forest head bands and wildlife collages.

There will also be forest shelter building and charcoal making around the camp fire, building your own mini Bronze Age hut circle, and the opportunity to learn how to survey a genuine hut circle settlement within Bellever Forest.

There will also be a 'Finds Surgery' running all day held by Tom Cadbury, curator of antiquities from Royal Albert Memorial Museum, who is hoping that members of the public will bring along their own archaeological finds to be identified.

There will be the chance to join the Ranger Ralph Club, to take a self guided History Hunters trail around part of Bellever Forest, or join in a guided walk to look at some of the Dartmoor ponies which graze the Forest. 

The Devon Archaeological Society book stall will also be present.

The new Life, Death and Landscape Exhibition, telling the story of prehistoric Dartmoor, will be on show at the Visitor Centre. This includes new children's activities and games.

Nearly all the activities will be free of charge, the only exception will be the modest cost of materials used in the creation of basketry or jewellery objects to take home.

In addition Dartmoor National Park Authority has organised a special programme of guided walks to celebrate this year's Festival of British Archaeology. Contact 01822 890414, visit http://www.dartmoor.gov.uk">www.dartmoor.gov.uk